Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is separating from his wife, former television host Sophie Grégoire, after 18 years of marriage, he announced Wednesday.
“Sophie and I would like to share that, after numerous difficult and reflective conversations, we have made the decision to separate,” Trudeau, 51, said in a statement.
“As always, we remain a close family with profound love for one another and for everything we have built and continue to build.
“For the wellbeing of our children, we ask that you respect our privacy and theirs. Thank you.”
Trudeau and Grégoire, 48, first met as children in Montréal.
They reconnected as adults in 2003, and were married two years later, CBC News reported at the time.
The couple shares three children, the youngest of whom was born one year before Trudeau was elected prime minister for the first time in 2015.
News of the pair’s separation will come as a shock to the public, as they frequently presented a united front throughout Trudeau’s sometimes rocky political career.
Less than three months ago, Trudeau and Grégoire were spotted holding hands at the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London.
